Shah-Amarinder meet: Will Captain be the BJP’s CM face in Punjab?

Amid the kerfuffle in Punjab Congress, former Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh landed in the power corridors of New Delhi on Wednesday (September 29). The speculations were already rife that Captain was on his way to meet senior BJP functionaries and chart a future course of action regarding his political career. However, a close aide of the Congress leader, Raveen Thukral refuted the claims suggesting that Captain was on a personal visit to the capital.

The claims were quickly found untrue, as Captain straightaway went to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s residence. The meeting between the two heavyweights lasted around 45 minutes and sources close to the matter have weighed in that both parties are seemingly reaching a conclusion regarding Captain’s inclusion in the BJP.

Also read: Can Amarinder Singh join the BJP now?

However, for the optics, Captain and BJP both, refused to divulge the details of the meeting and instead remarked that the farm laws were discussed in the meeting.

Singh tweeted soon after his meeting, “Met Union Home Minister @AmitShah ji in Delhi. Discussed the prolonged farmers’ agitation against #FarmLaws & urged him to resolve the crisis urgently with repeal of the laws & guarantee MSP, besides supporting Punjab in crop diversification. #NoFarmersNoFood,”

It is also pertinent to mention that after meeting Shah yesterday, Captain met NSA Ajit Doval today and it looks like BJP is all set to extend the helping hand to him.

Captain can leave Congress

It is well known that Singh is not a Yes-Man who nods his head to any directive passed along by the party high command. Miffed at the treatment meted his way, Singh resigned from the CM post.

Reported by TFI, Captain had left Congress after Operation Blue Star in 1984 as well. It was only when he came back to the party, Congress was able to rejuvenate itself in Punjab. It wouldn’t be a hyperbole to say that without him, Congress would have lost the 2017 elections and without him, the 2022 election would appear a lost battle too.

Read More: Amarinder is officially done with the Congress

Hence, if Congress still doesn’t comprehend his signals, he might once again leave the party and go out on his own. While building a new party from scratch with limited time might be a Sisyphean task, the next big possibility could be Amarinder switching flanks and joining the BJP.

As reported by TFI, BJP is expected to encash in on the 38.5% Hindu population votes as well as Dalit Sikhs, who constitute 31% of the total population. Other principal opposition parties in Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) owing to their divisive and anarchic politics, might settle for the Khalistani vote bank that is currently protesting at the Delhi borders.

Meanwhile, the inclusion of Amarinder would mean that Jat Sikh (21%) would rally behind him and ultimately help BJP gain power.

In an attempt to retain a Gandhi-puppet and popular face like Sidhu, Congress might be riling Amarinder, who has a far greater connection with the ground voters and can actually be the decisive difference. Even Sidhu is going the rogue way after the Gandhi family cut him to size by crowning Channi as the CM. Sidhu wanted the CM chair and in the absence of one, he is sending mixed signals to his Gandhi overlords.

Also read: Sidhu and Channi’s mysterious Christian connection and the menace of conversion in Punjab

The state of Punjab goes into polls next year and Congress which has already seen its political map shrink by a considerable extent since PM Modi first came to power in 2014, cannot afford to let it happen. But, the Gandhi ego threatens to do just the same. BJP is primed for tough competition from SAD and AAP, and thus, Captain’s inclusion can be the desired booster shot required for the saffron party which is still devoid of a strong CM face.